HORSESHOEING. 101 



altered. In all hoofs that have already undergone change of form 

 we must strive to give the shoe that form which the hoof had before it 

 underwent change. Such treatment will not only do the hoof no 

 injury, but, on the contrary, is of advantage to it, as it is well 

 known that in time the hoof will acquire the form of the shoe. 



Shaping and fitting Shoes. Special Considerations. 



(a) A shoe for a hoof of the regular form Jits properly when the 

 outer border of the shoe in the region of the nail-holes closely 

 follows the outer edge of the wall, but from the last nail-hole to 

 the end of each branch extends beyond the wall from a twenty- 

 fifth to a twelfth of an inch, the shoe is straight, lies firmly and 

 air-tight upon the bearing-surface of the hoof, the nail-holes fall 

 exactly upon the white line, and there is sufficient space between 

 the frog and the branches of the shoe for the passage of a foot- 

 pick. The branches must be of equal length. 



While in fitting a shoe to a hoof of regular form we need pay 

 attention only to the form of the hoof, it is very different when we 

 come to shape and Jit shoes to hoofs of irregular forms. In these 

 cases we must consider not only the form of the hoof but the position 

 of the limbs and the distribution of weight in the hoof, because where 

 the most weight falls the surface of support of the foot must 

 be widened, and where least weight falls (on the opposite side) 

 the surface of support must be narrowed. In this manner the 

 improper distribution of weight within the hoof (an unbalanced 

 foot) is regulated, — that is, is evenly distributed over the surface 

 of support. The manner in which this is accomplished in the 

 various forms of hoofs is as follows : 



(6) An acute-angled hoof requires the shoe described in para- 

 graph 2, page 96. The branches must be long, because most of 

 the weight falls in the posterior half of the foot, and long branches 

 extend the surface of support backward, while the surface of 

 support in front is to be diminished by making the toe of the 

 shoe base-narrow, either by turning it up or by bevelling it in 

 under the foot. A shoe for an acute-angled hoof fits when it 



